Winter Blues Got Your Dog Down?

Winter in Canada is long and whether you have a young dog or an older one, it can be a struggle to keep your pup busy in the months of constant cold and ice. Long runs and hikes are usually cut down significantly in inclement weather but this can cause an increase in the level of energy our dogs exhibit. So, what can we do to keep our sanity and keep our dogs happy and fufilled?

The concept of mental enrichment is gaining more popularity in the dog training world but it is often overlooked in pet homes. Its almost like we have forgotten that these loving, happy go lucky creatures sharing our beds and homes have minds, desires and talents of their own. No wonder Fido decided to redecorate the living room while you were out with pillow feathers!

All dogs are intelligent and capable.

Read that again when you find yourself red with rage when your dog has chewed up your new baseboards out of boredom during the winter months. Due to their capacity to learn, dog’s brains are always working and absorbing information – even when we would really, really love them not to be.

Picture this scenario: You are just sitting down after a long day and want to relax and dig in to your delivery food. There is a winter storm raging but your home is warm and cozy, so it doesn’t affect you at all. You flop on to the couch to watch tv and in enters a very excited Fido! Fido doesn’t get that you’ve had a long day and need some alone time – Fido wants to play!

So what is an exhausted dog owner to do?

The answer is to increase your dogs mental stimulation through toys, and a handy little rule we like to call WORK TO EAT.

What does this rule involve? Simply put it is the notion that the dog must work for their meals. This is nothing new to them, I promise you, but somehow over the generations of owning dogs humans have forgotten how these creatures ate and behaved before we set the bowl down for them. They scavenged, they problem solved, they learned and adapted in their environments. What was created out of this process was an animal that can adapt and independently problem solve.

There are two ways you can add simple enrichment to your dog’s life. The first includes investing in some form of activity/food toy. This is not a chew toy or a tug toy, but rather a toy that can store small quantities of food and encourages your dog to directly interact with that food. This is an independent activity and shouldn’t require direct supervision unless your dog is destructive or very young – in which case we recommend using these toys in areas that can be monitored, such as your living room, kitchen or in an expen if your dog uses one.

Not sure where to look for these toys, or need some examples?

The second way you can implement this rule into your routine is through training. You can never practice simple and functional behaviours such as SIT/DOWN or FOCUS enough: meal times are perfect opportunities to practice basic skills. Grab some of your dog’s dinner and train a few repititons of these behaviours using their own meal for rewards. Its a neat little trick and works great with puppies who are still in house breaking mode, or for sensitive dogs who cannot eat a variety of treats. In the long term, your time and effort pays off with better skills while your dog uses their brain to earn their food rather than have it for free in a bowl. It also creates a deeper connection with your dog as well, as you’ll communicate better and your pups purpose of working with you will be fulfilled.

Regardless of which method you choose to use, we recommend using at least one opportunity a day to have your dog use their brain and work for their food. In a routine of structured exercise, training and playtime this rule will help teach your dog lifelong skills such as problem solving, frustration tolerance and confidence around novel objects.

What this tool will not do is lessen negative behaviours or cause your dog to become an Einstein and rule the world overnight…but it will certainly help pave the way for better behaviours down the road and build the bond you both share.

Happy Training!